See the press conference here: http://youtu.be/Xq3xu2oScqk
UNESCO posted its press release here: www.unesco.org.
This designation will bring many benefits to Paducah for both creative tourism and sustainable development. UNESCO describes the designation as follows:
Paducah, Kentucky - UNESCO City of Crafts & Folk Art
Paducah plays an important role in the connectivity of cultures particularly through quilting. Known as Quilt City USA®, Paducah is recognized worldwide as a mecca for quilters and fiber artists.
What qualifies Paducah as an UNESCO City of Crafts & Folk Art?
• Paducah’s long lasting tradition in the fine craft of quiltmaking is the anchor that qualifies Paducah as an UNESCO City of Crafts & Folk Art.
• The AQS Quilt Show & National Quilt Museum have been the impetus for Paducah’s recognition in the international arts scene over the past 30 years.
• Paducah artists are actively engaged in the contemporary production of crafts.
• A strong presence of artisans in Paducah who are making their living as artists.
• Paducah offers training related to crafts and folk art through AQS, the National Quilt Museum, the Paducah School of Art & Design and a number of other hands-on workshops provided by various artists.
• Paducah promotes its diverse artforms through a variety of festivals including QuiltWeek™, LowerTown Art & Music Festival and River’s Edge International Film Festival
• Paducah has a rich infrastructure relevant to crafts and folk art, which includes museums, galleries, crafts stores and various venues that provide hands-on creative workshops.
The Creative Cities Network is an innovative way to showcase Paducah’s cultural pedigree, exchange know-how and develop local creative industries on a global platform.
The Creative Cities Network provides a means to:
• highlight Paducah’s cultural assets on a global platform
• make creativity an essential element of local economic and social development
• build local capacity and train local cultural actors in business skills
• share knowledge across cultural clusters around the world
• cultivate innovation through the exchange of know-how, experiences and best practices
• promote diverse cultural products in national and international markets
• create new opportunities for cooperation and partnership with other cities
The Creative Cities Network is facilitating access to resources and experiences to member cities as a means to promote the development of local creative industries and to foster worldwide cooperation for sustainable urban development.
Benefits of Creative Cities Network/designation:
• Provides a powerful impact for Paducah Economic Development in recruiting new businesses.
• Expands opportunities to showcase Paducah’s cultural assets and attractions on a global platform.
• Creates an extended international audience for promoting Paducah’s “creative tourism” offerings.
• Creates synergies that optimize the potential of the many creative industries that already exist. (LowerTown Arts District, Carson Center, National Quilt Museum, Paducah Symphony Orchestra, Paducah Arts Alliance, Paducah Film Society and others.)
• Exposes youth and students to international cultural programs, thereby preparing them for the future.
• Increases traffic to shops/restaurants in both downtown and McCracken County – benefiting owners and employees as well as providing additional sales tax revenue.
Distinctively Creative United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) strives to build networks among nations and intercultural understanding through protection of heritage and support of cultural diversity.
UNESCO Theme: Protecting Our Heritage and Fostering Creativity
• Culture transforms societies - traditional practices and contemporary art forms
• Creativity contributes to building open, inclusive and pluralistic societies
• Heritage and creativity lay foundations for vibrant, innovative and prosperous knowledge societies
Launched in 2004, the UNESCO Creative Cities Network has played a vital role in UNESCO’s strategy of fostering creative industries for sustainable development.
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network aims at:
• Supporting social, economic and cultural development
• Developing international cooperation among cities and joint development partnerships
• Recognizing creativity as a driver for sustainable development
• Facilitating exchange of experience, knowledge and resources among member cities to promote development of local creative industries
• Fostering worldwide cooperation in cultural and creative sector for sustainable development
• Promoting creative industries that lead to enhanced living standards for citizens
• Offering a platform to exchange ideas and strengthen partnerships among the Network
In November 2013, Paducah joins United States cities Iowa City, Iowa and Santa Fe, New Mexico in the Network.
There are currently 41 Appointed Member Cities in Seven Creative Industry Fields:
• Literature: Edinburgh, Melbourne, Iowa City, Dublin, Reykjavik, Norwich and Krakow
• Film: Bradford and Sydney
• Music: Seville, Bologna, Glasgow, Ghent Bogota and Brazzaville
• Crafts and Folk Art: Paducah, Santa Fe, Aswan, Kanazawa, Icheon , Hangzhou and Fabriano
• Design: Buenos Aires, Berlin, Montréal, Nagoya, Kobe, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Seoul, Saint-Étienne, Graz and Beijing
• Media Arts: Lyon, Enghien-les-Bains and Sapporo
• Gastronomy: Popayán, Chengdu , Östersund, Jeonju and Zahlé
Informationj provided by Pam Spencer, City of Paducah Information Officer.
